Domestic doughnut machine



Sept. 20, "194,9. 's. R. HALL 2,482,668

- DOMESTIC DOUGHNUT MACHINE Filed Dec. 3, 1945.

34 v a I H l l2' 9' 40 l8 INVENTORL STANLEY R. HALL By 6 M Attorney 7 Patented Sept. 20, 1949 UNIT E D "S? OFF'IJC E:

2,482,668 DOMESTIC noUGHNUT "MACHINE Stanley inn, Burbank, sp intaan'nmaba 3, 1945', Scrimma es:

, 12 (ilaims;

This inventionrelates to doughnut formers, or doughnut machines, and relates "more. particumay to devices of this character primarily adapted for domestic-use. Doughnut machines of various constructions have been introduced for the quantity or largescale productionf doughnuts in bakeries and the like. Such prior machines are too costly for household use and are too heavy; and cumbers ome for use by a housewife. Furthermore, they are generally rather complicated, embodying dough-feeding and extruding means, cams, springs and similar parts which become clogged with the dough and therefore diflicult to clean. Even the smallertypes of doughnut machines with which I am familiar require springs, plungers and like parts which complicate the disassemblihgand cleanin'g'and which materially in crease the cost of'production. i It is an important objectof thepresentinventi on to provide a light-weight doughnut machine which 'isext'remely simple and inexpensive to manufacture. The deviceof" the invention may be readily produced at such a low; cost that itmay be soldin the usual merchandising out-- lets handling kitchen utensils, etc'. While the invention such that the machi'ne may be of any size and type of construction, it is particularly well suited for embodiment in inexpensive devices-capable of mass-productio'nand of sale 'atretail stores.

It isanother important object of the invention to provide a doughnut" machine of the character referred to which may be held and fully operated by onehand. Theuser merelyholds the device over the cooking vessel with one hand and; while so holding it, operates the doughsdelivering mechanism withone or more-fingers of thes'a'rne hand; leavingthe other-hand entirely free.- There are no pistons or plunge'rs tooperate or spring resistance to overcome, and a minimum of manual effort is required for full operationof the device.

Another object of. the invention ispto provide a. doughnut machine; that will. not; become clogged with dong-n duringoperation; and that is: easy to;disasse.mble and clean. The. machine does not embody complicated valves; timingdevices or sprin s liable to accumulatedough'and does; not include screws, nuts-v or similar;securmeans which subject to detachment or loss. and/or which require individual; handling, The device involves a minimumnurnber ofsimple parts: that may; be. readily disconnected. for full accessibility; and cleaning;

A fur-ther'object of-*the invention is toprovidet a doughnut machine of the class referred to" that? forms and discharges uniform wellsshaped doughnuts without stringing out the dough or leaving irregulatrities. Elie invention includes'a' hovel-gravity, or automatic feed; controlled. by a simple reciprocation of at frustb-conical. forrider and cut-01f member which serves to insure the; discharge of annular bodies of doughioffsubs stantially uniform proportions and of circular. transversecross-section for direct delivery into the vesselof deep cooking f'ati. The; conicaliormer member moves betweenztwo spaced frustoconical outlet walls to: measure out. intermediate charges" of dough and. detach them from" the main body of..'.do'ugh; in the hopper, to aid in forming the: charges into doughnut-shape and to: then; separate 0I'.f1'e8? the final: doughnuts: so thatathey. mayfall into the cooking; vessel,

. Other objects; and advantages-of the I invention will. become apparent from the followinga dexscription. of typical preferred embodiments wherein. reference will be. made to the" accom panying: drawing-5,. inyvhichz. l

Eigzql longitudinal detailed'sectional view of a doughnutsforming;machineof the inven tion- 1 showing: the former member in thelowermost position; .,--Flg.' 2 is aplanaview of the. device; being a view taken substantially as indicated by line 2"2:,on-Fig..1;' p

, Fig. 3 is. a transverse detailed sectional view takenasindicate'd: byline 3-3 onFig. 1-;.

vFig; 4"; lea-fragmentary longitudinal sectional View; of; the lower portion of thev device showing the formen member; in the raised position; and

Fig.5 is, a view" similar to Fig. 4', showing an alternative, or modified,-. form ofconstruction. v

Thedoughnutmachine illustrated inFigs. 1 to 4, inclusive, of the drawings-may be saidto com -V prise generally *a container I l! for the dough, two spaced co-axial walls, or outlets,- H and Slat the. lower: end a of the? container, and a guided former: I-3- movable between the outlets ll and= It for forming and releasing thedoughnuts.

. The container luconstitutesthe body of the device and is adapted to receive a substantial quantity? of dough; ,While the container. ,may be ofany selected configuration, it-will usuallybe preferred to make it cylindrical and elongated,. substantially as illustrated. To simplify the.con-; struction and-reducethe costof manufacture, the container was preferably a-simple one-piece member formedof sheet .metal stock, thin-walled aluminum tubing,,or. the like. The-upperedge of the container I is provided with a rolled bead I4 and the cylindrical wall of the container is stepped inwardly, or reduced in diameter, in a plane some distance above its lower end, to provide an upwardly-facing internal annular shoulder I5 on the container wall. In order to facilitate handling and manipulation of the device, a handle I6 is provided at the upper end of the container. The handle I6 may be a simple bail-like member having the lower ends of its side parts secured to the external surface of the container at I! by spot welding or riveting. The side parts of the handle I6 curve outwardly and upwardly from their points I! of attachment to the container I 8 and then continue vertically upward to join the horizontal grip portion which extends diametrically over the upper end of the container. The horizontal grip portion of the handle I5 is preferably transversely curved so as tI: be stilfened and to be more conveniently grasped. It is to be noted that the handle I6 is positioned at a point most remote from the doughnut cooking fat so that there is no danger of the fat splashing or splattering onto the users hand graspin the handle.

The two outlets I I and I2 are in the nature of spaced walls shaped and related to facilitate the controlled and yet ready delivery of the dough and to assist the former I3 in shaping the doughnuts. In the embodiment of the invention illus- I trated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the wall, or outlet, II is integral with the container I0, being in the form of an inturned continuation of the container wall. The wall, or outlet, I I is an inverted frusto-conical part slopin downwardly and inwardly from the cylindrical wall of the container toward the central longitudinal axis of the machine. I prefer to slope or pitch the wall II at an angle of between degrees and degrees, although this may be varied considerably as desired. The wall, or outlet, II terminates at its lower end at an opening I8 through which the formed doughnut passes or discharges at the completion of each operation. 'The opening I8 is concentric with the central longitudinal axis of the device and is round, or cylindrical.

The outlet I2 is a. partition, or wall, similar to and spaced above the outlet II. As best illu"- trated in Figs. 1 and 4, the outlet I2 is an inverted frusto-conical part parallel with the wall or outlet II and terminating at its lower end in an opening I9. The openin I9 is preferably of the same diameter as the opening I8 and is concentric therewith. The vertical spacing of the outlets II and I2 leaves metering, or measuring, chamber 28 for the dough which is to constitute the doughnuts. In the embodiment of the invention being described the wall, or outlet, I2 is a removable member inserted in the container ID and adapted to be read ly withdrawn therefrom when the machine is to be cleaned subsequent to use. A vertical cylindrical rim 2I is formed on the upper end of the outlet I2 to rather closely fit within the container III. The rim 2| rests upon the above-described shoulder I5 to support the wall, or outlet, I2 against downward displacement.

A removable spider, or retainer, 22 is provided to resist upward displacement of the outlet I2 and to assist in guiding the former I3, as will be later described. The retainer and guide 22 comprises two identical but oppositely-arranged strips of sheet metal, or the like, each formed to have an intermediate or central portion and two angularly related end parts, or arms, 23. The

central portions of the strips are secured together at 24 by rivets or spot welds and are shaped to define a vertical opening 25 which is co-axial with the central longitudinal axis of the machine and adapted to receive the former stem. The angular arms 23 extend outwardly to the wall of the container IE] and have frictional engagement therewith to resist upward displacement of the wall I2. While the primary function of the retainer and guide 22 is to steady and direct the former I3 durin operation, it additionally serves to assist in holding the outlet I2 in place against the shoulder I5. The weight of the main body of dough in the container I!) also operates to hold the wall, or outlet, I2 against upward movement. Although the arms 23 of the guide 22 frictionally bear against the wall of the container II] to resist movement, the guide may be deliberately withdrawn from the container as will be subsequently described.

It is preferred to provide a top, or cover, 21 for the upper end of the container Ii]. The cover 27 is a disc-like part having an upturned annular flange 28 at its periphery for fitting within the upper end portion'of the container. The flange 28 is cylindrical and has a considerable vertical dimension so as to have extensive engagement with the internal surface of the container. The frictional engagement of the flange 28 with the container Iii dependably resists displacement of the cover. An outturned substantially horizontal rim 29 is provided on the flange 28 toengage downwardly against the bead I4 of the container to support the cover. While the frictional engagement of the flange 28 in the container In may be sufiicient to prevent detachment of the cover 21 during operaton of the device, it may be desirable to provide latch means to assist in holding the cover in place. In the drawings I have shown a latch means comprising inwardly bent projections, or detents, 3B in the vertical side parts of the handle I6. The detents 36 are shaped and positioned to engage the peripheral corner, or edge, of the rim 29 and yieldingly resist upward movement of the cover 21. When the cover 21 is assembled on the container I5, the edge of the rim 29 snaps under the two diametrically opposite detents 38. In a like manner, when the cover is removed the rim 2%! is forced upwardly past the detents. A filling opening 3| of substantial size is provided in the cover 2'! to allow the dough to be poured into the container Ill. The cover also has a central cylindrical opening 32 and oil-set opening 33. a

The former I3 is the only movable element of the machine and serves to measure out the charges of dough and shape them into perfect doughnuts. In accordance with the invention, the former I 3 is an elongate tubular member constructed of thin-walled tubing or sheet metal to resemble an inverted funnel having a tubular stem 34 provided at its lower end with a downwardly and outwardly sloping skirt, .or conical dough-forming part 35. The stem 35 is slidably guided in the aforementioned central opening 25 of the guide 22 and extends centrally upward within the container Ill. It is important to accurately direct the former I3 for vertical reciprocation, and the stem 34 is further guided by a guide 36 on the cover 21. The guide 36 is in the form of a tube secured in the opening 32 to project downwardly from the cover 27. The guide 36 may be secured in the opening 32 in any appropriate manner. For example, it may be beaded and flared as at 37, to be permanently fixed in the .34 of the former I3.

opening; illustrated". in :the-s a'drawingsg the guide "364s of "sufiicient: length to have extensive engagementwithithe interior of the tubular stem It is tobe observed that the former I3 issupported and guided for .freevertical movement by two vertically. spaced parts, namely, theguides-IZ and 35. 4

Handle-means is provided onthe: former I31 to facilitate .its operation. This mayaconsist of .a simplehandle 38 secured to the upper portion of the stem 3 I by welding, or the like, to, extend upwardly-and pass through: the .opening 33 in the cover-2'I.- The upper-portion of the-handle 38, is bent, or curved, outwardly and downwardly, to be conveniently engaged by one or-more fingers of the users hand grasping themain handle I6. The curved upper portion of the handle 38 is preferably adjacent .one sideof the main handle I5 so-that'it may be easily operated by the users first finger. 4 i

The-active conical part 35 of the former I3 cooperates with the above-described: 0111316135,".01 walls, II and I2. When the-former I3 is in the lowermost position shown in Fig. 1, the lower-edge .of the forming part 35 engages the wall II immediately adjacent its opening I8 and the part 35 is clear of or spaced within the opening I9 of the wall I2. .In this connection it is to be noted that the conical skirt, or former, 35 is of sufficient size to extend some distance through the opening I9. With the former I3 in the position of Fig. 1, the dough is free to flow downwardly through the opening I9 into the chamber 20. The dough thus entering the chamber 23 is-obliged to flow'around the sloping wall of the conical former part 35 in the form of an annular body or mass. The pitched or sloping wall I2'guides or directs the dough for passage through the opening IQ'around the former part 35. Because of its :heavy-consistency, the dough will not fully .--o'ccupy the chamber but will assume'a position and contour therein substantially as indicated by the broken lines A in Fig. 1. "The externalsurfaceof theiormer part has asubstantialpitch, or inclination, to facilitate the fiowof the" dough into the chamber 28 and to assist in shaping" the doughnut I I When the doughnut former I3 is'raised to the position illustrated in Fig. 4,"the lower portion ofthe part 35 'comes'into engagement with the wall I2 at-the lower edge of its opening I9. This severs-the body of dough in the chamber 20 from the main mass of doughin the container I0 and as the opening I8 in the lower outlet wall'll'is' no longer obstructed, the doughin the-c'c-hamb'er is free to move downwardly through the opening I8. During the upward'movement o'f'the former I3 as just described, its conical part 35 moves through-the dough in the chamber 20 tofurther shape the same, and asthe dough slides or moves outwardly through the opening I8 the conical wall II assists in shaping the doughnut. Thus 'the opposed 0r oppositely pitched and relatively movable'conical surfaces of the former part 35 and the wall II give the free body of dough a perfect doughnut configuration. Upon downward movementof the former I3 to the position of Fig. 1, the lower edge of the part 35 is brought into en gagement with the wall II at the opening 'I8',"to out free or sever the doughnut from the dough that may remain in the chamber 20. This obviates the possibility of the dough stringing out as the doughnut falls free into the cooking 'fat. From the above it will' be seen that 'siinplerec'ip rocation-of the former I3 I produces well-shaped modify to some eatent 'Inzpractic'a: if. desired, "the" s'peediiof -.I3 may be. controlledto the :size of the resultant doughnuts; operation of the former nections,.42'are provided to releasably connect 'the wall II to the lower portion of the container III. In the device of Fig.5 the above-described retainer and guide 22 is not required but is preferredvto make the guide 36 somewhat longer to properly guide the former I3. In other respects the device of Fig. 5 may be the same as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. V

From the above detailed description it will be seen that I have provided an extremel simple, inexpensive doughnut machine which embodies a minimum number of parts. The several elements of the device may be readily formed or spun from sheetv metal. The device is simple to assemble and disassemble and there are no. screws, bolts, or the like, to become detached and lost. Referring to Fig. 1, the device is easily taken apart forgcleaning by merely disconnecting thecover 21 from the container I0 and then raising the former I3 by means of its handle 38. When the former ;I3

'- is withdrawn upwardly through the'container'lll,

its lower conical part '35 lifts both the the guide 22 from the container.

Having described only typical preferredforms of the invention, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details herein set, forth, but wishto re-, serve to myself any features and modifications that may fall within the scope of the following claims. q

:1. A:doughnut machine comprising a container, a; first conical :wall at thelower end; of the container having an opening communicating with the interior of the container; a second conical wall spaced below said first wall and having an opening" aligned with the first-named openingand a tubular frusto-conical forming member having an openlower end' terminating in a lower edge and movable between a position where its lower edge engages said second wall at said second opening to close said second-named opening and, leaving first-named opening open and a position where its lower end'portion engages said first wall at said first-named opening to close the latter, leaving said-second-named opening free.

A doughnut machine comprising a container, a'first'wall at'the lower end of the container having an opening communicating with the interior of the container, a second wall spaced below the first wall and having an outlet opening aligned with the first-named opening; and a vertically movable former having a downwardly and outwardly flaring part for alternately having substantially line contact with said first and second walls at their respective openings upon reciproca tion of the former.

35A doughnut machine comprising a dough container, 2. first'wall at the lower end of the container "having an opening communicating with the interior or the container, a second wan spaced belowthe first wall and having an ouuet'openifig wall I 2 -and raasaccs aligne'd with the rfirst-namedsopening, said-walls sloping downwardly and. inwardly to their re- -spective. openings, a verticall movable dormer having a conical part presenting a downwardly and outwardly 'fiarin'g surface :and 1a downwardly :ta'cing lower edge, saidformer beingrm'ovablebeetwieen'a 'firstiposition'where saidedge engage said second wall to close the opening therein and Where .thereis an annular passage through Tthfi opening in said first wall for the how or dough into :the space between the walls, and a second position where said fiaring surface engages in the :opening in said first wall to close the same and where said former is clear of the said'second wall :to leave the opening therein'unobstructed for the discharge of said dough, and means in the con- "tamer for guiding the former for vertical movement.

4. A doughnut machine comprising a dough container, a first wall at the lower end of'the con- .tainer having an opening communicating with the interior of the container, asecond wall spaced below the first wall and having an outlet opening aligned with thefirst-named opening, said walls slopingadownwardlyandinwar'dly to their respective openings, a vertically .movablefform'er having a conical ipart presenting a downwardl andou'twardly flaring surface Land a downwardly racing lower edge, said former being movablebetweena first "position where said ed'ge engages sai'd'second Wall to closeithe opening therein and whereathere is'an annular passage throughthe opening in said firstwallfor the how of dough into the space between the walls and a secondposition'where said flaringsurface'engages in theopening in said first wall to close the sameand where it is clear of the said second wall to leave the opening therein unobstructed for the discharge of said dough, and means accessibleatthe upper end of th'e containerfor operating the'former.

"5. A doughnut machine comprising a dough container, a first wall 'atthe lower'end of the container having an opening communicating with the interior of the container, a second wall spaced below the first :Wall and having an outlet opening aligned with the first-named opening, said walls sloping downwardly and inwardly to theirirespective openings, .a'vertically movable former having a conical part presenting'a downwardly'and outwardly fiaringsuriace and a downwardly 'facing lower edge, said former being movable 'betweeni'a first position where said edge engages sai-disecond wall adjacent the opening therein .to close. the opening therein and where there is an annular passage through the opening in said first wallifor the fio'w of dough into the space between the'walls and a second position where said flaring surface engages in the opening in said first wall to close the same and where it is clear of the said second wallto leave'the opening therein unobstructed for the discharge of said dough, a handle on the upper end of the container for supporting the same, and .a handle for operating said former between said positions located to be engageable b the hand grasping the first handle.

v6. A doughnut machine comprising a dough container, a'first wall at the lower end of the container having an opening communicating with-the interior of the container, a second wall spaced below the first wall and having an outletopening aligned with the first-named opening,"said walls sloping downwardly and inwardly to their respective openings, a vertically movable former having a conical part presenting a downwardly and outwardly flaring surface and adownwardly facing lower edge, said former :being'movable Ibetween a first position where said edge engages :said second wall adjacent theopening therein to close the opening therein and Where'there is -.an annular passage through the opening in said first wall forthefiowof-dough into the space between the walls and a second position where said flaring surface engages in the opening in said first wall to close the opening in said first wall an'd where 'it'is 'cle'aro'f the said second wall to leave the opening therein unobstructed for the discharge of :said dough, and vertically-spaced guides in the container guiding the former for vertical movement.

B7. A doughnut machine comprising a dough container, 3, first wall at the lower end of the container having an opening communicating with the interior ofthei'container, a second wallspaced below the first wall and having an outlet opening aligned with the first-named opening, said walls sloping downwardly and inwardlyto their respective openings, a vertically movable former includ- :ing an upright stern and a conical doughnut forming part on the lower endof thestem presenting a downwardly and outwardl sloping surface terminating at a downwardly facing lower edge, means for moving the former between aposi'tion where said edge engages the second wallto close the opening therein and where said former is clear of the first Wall to leave an'annular passage through the opening in'thefirst wall for the flow of dough from the container into the'space between the walls and-a positionwhere said sloping "surface engages in the opening in the first wall to close the opening therein-and where said part is above said second wall to leavethe opening therein free for the discharge of the dough in the form of a doughnut, and means cooperating with th'eIstem to guide the former for movement between said positions. 7

8. A doughnut machine comprising a dough containerga first wall at the lower end of the container having an opening communicating with the interior of the container, a second Wall spaced below the first wall and having anoutlet opening aligned with the first-named opening, said walls sloping downwardly and inwardly to their respective openings, a vertically movable 'formerineluding an upright stem and a conical forming part-on the lower end of the stem presentln'g'a downwardly and outwardly sloping surface'terrriihating at a downwardly facing lower-edge, means for moving the former between a position where said edge engages the :second 'wall to close the opening therein and where said former is clear-of the first wall to leave an annularipassage through the=opening=in the first'wall for'th'e how of dough from the container into the space between the walls and a position "where said sloping surface engages in the opening in the first wall 'itoiclose the opening therein and where'said part'is above said second wall "to leave the opening therein free for the discharge of the dough in the iform of a doughnut, acover on the container, and a guide extending downwardly from the cover "to 'sli'dably guide the stem of the former.

9. A doughnut machine comprising a dough container, a first wall atthe loweren'd'of the container having an opening communicating with the interior of the container, a second wall spaced below the first wall and having an outlet opening aligned with the'first-named opening, said walls sloping'downwardly and inwardly to their respective openings, a vertically movable former including an upright stem and aconical doughnutforming part on the lower end of the stem presenting a downwardly and outwardly sloping surface terminating at a downwardly facing lower edge, means for moving the former between a position where said sloping surface engages the second wall to close the opening therein and where said part is clear of the first wall to leave an an nular passage through the opening in the first wall for the flow of dough from the container into the space between the walls and a position where said sloping surface engages in the opening in the first wall to close the opening therein and where said part is above said second wall to leave the opening therein free for the discharge of the dough, a member removably engaged in the container for guiding the lower part of said stem, a cover on the container, and means on the cover for guiding the upper portion of the stem.

10. A doughnut machine comprising a container for dough, a wall integral with the container and sloping downwardly and inwardly from its lower end, there being a, central opening in said wall, a member removably supported in the container having a downwardly and inwardly sloping wall spaced above the first-named wall, the second-named wall having a central opening, and a conical former reciprocable vertically and presenting a downwardly and outwardly flaring surface terminating at its lower end in a downwardly facing edge, said surface and edge being adapted upon reciprocation of said former to alternately engage said walls in a manner to close their openings.

11. A doughnut machine comprising a container for dough, a wall integral with the container and sloping downwardly and inwardly from its lower end, there being a central opening in said wall, a member removably secured to the container and having a downwardly and inwardly sloping wall spaced below the first-named wall, and a vertically reciprocable former including a stem extending vertically within the container, and a conical part on the stem presenting a downwardly and outwardly flaring surface termihating at its lower end in a downwardly facing edge, said part being reciprocable between said walls so that said surface and edge alternately c0- operate with the first and second-named walls respectively to alternately open and close their respective openings.

12. A doughnut machine comprising a dough container, a handle extending across the upper end of the container adapted to be grasped in one hand to support the machine, vertically spaced substantially parallel walls at the lower end of thecontainer sloping downwardly and inwardly and each having a central dough-passing opening, a cover removably engaged in the upper end of the container, a downwardly extending guide on the cover, a stem slidable on the guide, a conical dough-forming part on the lower end of the stem presenting a downwardly and outwardly flaring surface terminating at its lower end in a downwardly facing edge, said surface and edge being adapted to alternately move into and out of engagement with said Walls at their openings upon reciprocation of the stem to alternately open and close said openings and to form charges of dough into doughnuts, said cover having an opening, and an operating handle on the stem extending upwardly through the opening in the cover to be operated by a finger of the hand grasping the first-named handle.

STANLEY R. HALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

